40 Days to God, My Father
When a father's addiction shattered trust, Rosann found healing by rediscovering God as her true Father through Scripture—inspiring a devotional journey for women seeking the same comfort.
No matter her age, every woman desires to know that she is seen, loved, and safe in the care of her father. This heart-longing never fully disappears: it’s a constant and continual hunger planted deep in our souls by our heavenly Father.
During my childhood years and into my early adulthood, I was able to run to my dad for love, guidance, and protection. As our church’s pastor––and my pastor––I counted on his godly wisdom, advice, and comfort in the struggles I faced. But after long years of chronic illness, the medication prescribed to my dad for healing only brought hurt to him, my family, and our relationship. He became dependent upon the medication.
Daddy’s struggle changed him and shifted something inside me, too. Because I felt that I could no longer trust my earthly father, I grappled with trusting my heavenly Father. I was projecting the hurt and pain I experienced in my relationship with my dad onto the Lord.
Shaken, afraid, and consumed with worry, I prayed for God’s help. Then the Spirit gently whispered to my heart: “Let me be your Father.” That’s when I accepted the Lord’s invitation to know Him as my Father. 40 Days to God, My Father is a devotional born out of that experience.
The Word as Our Guide
I began the journey towards my heavenly Father by going to His Word. And although I had read it numerous times before and could easily recite Scriptures that rolled off my tongue, this time I approached it differently. Armed with intention––and with the words of Malachi 3:6a in mind: “For I the Lord do not change”––I sought to know how God had shown up as Father for those who had gone before me in order to apply it to my life.
As I turned the pages of my well-worn Bible, I saw, afresh, God’s fatherhood displayed in the lives of Sarah, Hagar, Joshua, David, and Jeremiah––along with many others––in the Old Testament. Throughout the New Testament, I observed His activity in the lives of the bleeding woman, the disciples, and Paul––and ultimately in the life, work, and words of Jesus. Blessedly, while I studied the Lord’s character––and promises––I found renewed trust, hope, and reviving faith.
My desire is for every woman who reads this book to undergo this same transformation.
As we trace God’s hand in the lives of biblical saints through 40 Days to God, My Father, my hope is for us to recognize His shepherding in our own lives. Every promise penned in the Word is a certainty that we can cling to within our own circumstances, regardless of their difficulty. We only need to grasp this truth and never let go. That’s what I pray will happen for each reader.
And while I share deeply personal reflections on how God proved Himself a faithful Father to me during the most arduous seasons of my life––with one of those being the pain I endured during my earthly father’s struggle with addiction––within these pages, you won’t find a narrative of my earthly father’s substance abuse. What you will find is a story of the heavenly Father’s love, mercy, comfort, and encouragement for me through it all––and the promise that His character is the same for you, whatever you are facing.
The Hope of a Good Father
1 John 3:1a declares: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” With this verse in mind, we will behold the love of the One True Father. Throughout Scripture God proves Himself as a good, kind, and gracious Father.
And what the Lord has done before, He will do again. Our heavenly Father shows up when earthly fathers fail, whether intentionally or unintentionally. His love endures when our hearts break. In His presence, we find shelter, strength, and security.
I pray that as you read this book, your heart will be assured “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).
Afterall, God is the best Father one could ever ask for. We can trust His promises and take Him at His Word! I hope you will join me on the journey in 40 Days to God, My Father today.
